The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has sharply criticized the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for its scheduling of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), labeling it “reckless” and a threat to the safety of young students.
The UTME, which began on April 24 and will conclude on May 5, requires candidates, many aged 15 to 17, to arrive at exam centers as early as 6:30 am, according to Obi. In a statement issued on Sunday, the former Anambra State governor highlighted the dangers faced by teenagers forced to travel in the dark through often hazardous areas to attend the exams.
“These are teenagers compelled to risk their lives just to exercise their right to education,” Obi said, citing reports of road accidents, missing students, and psychological trauma linked to the examination period. He referenced a recent incident in Ajah, Lagos, where a teenage girl reportedly went missing while heading to a UTME center. Obi questioned JAMB’s accountability, asking, “Who takes responsibility when a 15- or 16-year-old child disappears or is harmed?”
He argued that the scheduling reflects broader systemic failures in Nigeria’s education sector, particularly the severe lack of infrastructure. With only about 200 universities for a population exceeding 200 million—one university per million citizens—Obi described the situation as “staggering and deeply worrying.”
He contrasted Nigeria’s 12% gross enrollment ratio with Indonesia’s 45%, noting that the Southeast Asian nation, with 280 million people, boasts over 4,000 tertiary institutions. Obi urged the federal government to significantly boost investment in education to expand the system, suggesting that even achieving half of Indonesia’s infrastructure—around 2,000 universities—would enhance access and reduce risks to students.
“We must protect the well-being of our future generations,” he emphasized. In response, JAMB sought to clarify that the early timings relate to pre-test verification, not the actual exam start times.
